Author's Notes: Ok to begin with as many of you have noted in your reviews, yes this mission as in my story, 'The Paths We Choose.' To those of you complaining I am not being original or am 'cheating' I only say this; would another version of the Wave mission be more original? Honestly? Writing this story this mission immediately came to mind and I thought it would be perfect. Since it is my scenario I see no reason why not to use it once more, and maybe it will have a different result.

Maybe.

While I ma here I would also like to ask that any of you interested in reading a really good, really detailed, really mature story that is filled to over flowing with lemonny goodness please give 'The Bet' by Mistress Winowyll. I am the co-author though the story is 90% hers and I mostly just edit. It's a wonderfully detailed and sensual tale that I believe many of you would enjoy. If you are interested please just go to my profile page. You will find it listed under favorites.

Finally, any of you who may be interested in discussing your opinions of my stories can go to my new forum to debate them. www (dot) fanfiction

.net/forum/LOTLOFs_Fiery_PLayground/75579/

XXX

"I'll need a list of all the ceremonies she'll be expected to perform," Anko told the mayor. "What they involve, where they take place, when they begin and about how long they should last."

"I'll have Momo bring you the information. She is Shizuku's caretaker and cooks all her meals for her," Binya said.

"No," Anko said sharply. "If you want her top be a messenger that's fine but she won't have any more contact with the client. We'll take care of the meals from now on."

Binya blushed slightly at the obvious implication. "Momo is a very kind woman she would never…"

"Didn't you just say yourself the whole village is suspect?" Anko demanded. She continued without giving him a chance to respond. "Plus you said the last priestess was poisoned. We will take care of her food. Until this is over we protect her from everyone."

The mayor looked unhappy, but nodded understanding why it had to be like this. "That's why I hired you to begin with."

"Then leave it to us."

"What are your plans for protecting her?" Binya asked.

"You don't need to know that," Anko told him pleasantly.

"I'm the one who hired you," he objected. "I want to know what you have in mind at least."

"You hired us and when we successfully complete the job you'll be handing me a check. Also you'll be a valuable source of information and assistance to us. But," Anko continued remorselessly. "You have no need to know anything about how we plan to do our job."

"Are you trying to say you don't trust me either?"

"That's right,' she answered not skipping a beat. "The only people I trust right now are my students and that's it. No one beyond the four of us will know the security arrangements."

"I'm the one who hired you," Binya pointed out. "What sense would it make for me to betray you?"

"Maybe the villagers insisted and forced your hand," Anko replied. "Maybe you are involved and hired us deliberately to make it appear that you're not. Then again even if we can trust you maybe you have loose lips and you'll pass on what you know without even realizing it." Anko shook her head. "No, the best way to keep something secret is to not tell anyone who doesn't absolutely need to know, and you don't."

"I am the one responsible for her safety," Binya argued.

"Not any more you're not," Anko told him firmly. "From here on out I'll take that responsibility on. We are ninja of the Hidden Leaf and we take our duties very seriously. Since you have hired us why not trust us to do the job?"

"I suppose I'd better," he muttered clearly still not happy. "Very well then, I'll put my faith in you. I'll send someone later today with the information you need."

With that he began the trek back to the village and his work hammering nails.

Anko waited until he was out of earshot. "Shino?"

"Hai sensei?"

"Can you put a tracking bug on him? Also go ahead and put out sentries the way you used to back in the Forest of Death."

Shino nodded.

"You really don't trust him Anko-sensei?" Naruto asked sounding surprised.

"Trust is a very precious commodity Naruto, you should hand it out sparingly." she sounded just the tiniest bit bitter as she said that. "Now come on, lets introduce ourselves to our new client."

XXX

Shizuku was looking calmly at the four ninja who had come to keep her safe. The little priestess had accepted their arrival with a serenity that caught them all off guard.

"I understand that you will be staying here in the shrine," she said quietly. She smiled at them innocently, a child's smile. "No one else ever stays here with me. Nori comes and teaches me and Momo cooks for me, but otherwise I am always alone. I think it will be nice to have company."

"Do you ever have contact with anyone other than your caretaker and your teacher?" Anko asked.

The little girl shook her head. "Everyone else stays away from here and I am not supposed to leave the shrine."

"You must be fun," Naruto muttered. He cut off when Sakura gave him an elbow in the ribs.

Shizuku looked at him. "It's fine, I meditate and pray to pass the time. I know what I am doing is important to the village so I don't mind it."

Naruto was very surprised to find he actually believed her.

"Don't you have any friends? Anyone you can talk to?" Sakura asked sympathetically.

"I have only Nori and Momo," she said. "I… have a mother I have not seen since I became priestess. I would… I would really like to be with kaassan again. But that is not for me to decide."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked. She couldn't imagine being separated from her mom or dad for a whole year.

"Whether or not I see kaasan again is karma. What will be will be, I cannot change it but only accept it."

Anko gave a rude snort. "Screw karma."

Shizuku looked up at her as though she had blasphemed. "No one can go against the dictates of karma!"

"Listen little girl." Anko told her. "I'm a lot older than you and have seen a lot more than you ever will. We make our own choices in this life. Decide what you want and go get it! don't just sit there and blame it on karma, that's nothing but an excuse."

The little girl stared up at completely at a loss as to how to answer.

"Do you understand the reason why we are here?" Anko asked her.

She simply nodded. "I know that the seven priestesses before me were all sacrificed, and that you are here to try and prevent that from happening to me as well."

"How can you be so calm about it?" Sakura blurted out. "Some people out there want to kill you! Why aren't you scared?"

"Because I have been taught to accept whatever fate is meant for me. Whatever my karma is I accept it," she said tranquilly.

"Crap," Anko pointed a finger at her. "What if your karma is to be murdered in the next three days? You really plan to just accept that?"

"Yes," she said.

Anko shook her head. "There are times and places where death in unavoidable, and of course we all have to go one day. That doesn't mean you just accept it. You fight like hell right to the very end." She glanced at her team. "And when your time does come go with a smile and two fingers sticking up in the shinigami's face."

"You shouldn't say things like that!" Shizuku said blushing.

"Why not?. If karma doesn't like it let karma do something about it."

"You cannot oppose what is meant to be," Shizuku told her fervently. "We must all bend before the wind. To resist fate only causes suffering. Do you not believe in karma at all?"

"Hell no," she said with a sneer. "'Cause, my fate was decided by a pale skinned effeminate son of a bitch not by any mysterious force. Some day I will meet him again and end his miserable life. That's got nothing to do with karma, it's my decision, my will, and I will make it happen no matter what kami or anyone else may think."

Shizuku's eyes widened a bit at the passion and fervor of her words. "But… but aren't you afraid of what will happen if you oppose what fate has in store for you? Whenever a soul opposes its natural destiny only suffering can come as a result."

"Life is full of suffering," Anko told her without a scrap of sympathy. "Get used to it. Don't use it as an excuse not to go after the things you want in life.' She looked closely at the mini-priestess. "What's your dream?"

"What?" She asked in confusion.

"What's your dream?" Anko repeated. "What is it you want from life?"

She looked a little nervous, a little unsure of herself. "I… I don't have a dream; I am ready to accept whatever comes."

"Come on, everyone has a dream, everyone has something they want." She pointed at Naruto. "He dreams of being Hokage one day."

"I am going to be Hokage one day," Naruto said proudly.

"Heaven help us."

"Hey!"

Anko pointed at Sakura. "She wants to have to have the future Hokage there fall in love with her and give him a whole herd of little pink haired kids."

"Gak! Sensei!" Sakura turned a deep red and brought both hands to her mouth.

Naruto turned to look at her and began to blush as well.

She pointed at Shino. "He says he wants to master all his clan's jutsus but really he just want s to be really popular."

Shino looked uncomfortable before he finally shrugged. "That is true."

"You want to be popular?" Naruto asked disbelieving.

"It is a more achievable dream than your becoming Hokage." Shino said his voice having a trace of rancor.

"I don't know Shino, I mean you're pretty creepy."

Behind his shades Shino's eyes narrowed and a faint buzzing sound began to emanate from him.

As amusing as the scene was Anko turned her attention back to Shizuku. "So what do you want?"

She looked down and squirmed a little. "It is selfish to have personal desires."

"Maybe I guess, but everyone has them. Isn't there something you want?"

She was silent for awhile.

"I want to be with momma again," she said in a small voice. "I just want to be with momma again."

Anko nodded. "That's a good dream, if that's what you want you have to be willing to fight for it. My team and I will do everything we can to make it come true so hold on to your dream and fight for it. Okay?"

Shizuku slowly nodded.

XXX

After this initial meeting Anko pulled her team aside to talk to them.

"From this point on she will never be alone, someone will be awake and by her side the entire time we're here." Anko said. "Right now I'm going to go out and scout the village as well as the surrounding countryside. You three stay by her side until I get back. Remember that no one is allowed to get near her now, and that includes Binya and her teacher and caretaker. We don't know what sort of threats she'll face or when they'll some so don't let your guard down for even a second."

"Uh," Sakura spoke up. "What do we do if she's actually attacked?"

"You stop the attackers," Anko replied simply. "Using whatever force is necessary."

She looked directly at Naruto.

"That includes using Senko Tanken."